Compressible Thin-Walled Package For Liquids

ABSTRACT

The invention deals with a thin-walled compressible package where on the compressible package transversal recesses are created so that the recesses are created at least in four layers where in each layer there are at least two recesses and at the same time the recesses in one layer are always in the position under and/or over the contact place of the recesses created in the neighbouring layers or under and/or over the gap between the recesses created in the neighbouring layers while at the same time the recesses in the neighbouring layers partly overlap each other with their side mains with regard to the longitudinal axis from the axial point of view, while at the same time at least two types of recesses, having different profiles and/or depths are created, and where the side margins of at least the principal recesses in the transversal direction to the longitudinal axis of the package consist of the transition of the profile of the recess to the flat surface of the package or of the transition of the profile of one recess to the profile of another recess created in the same layer, and where the principal of the invention consist in that at least in some recesses ( 1, 101 ), formed as principal recesses, there are auxiliary recesses ( 3, 31, 32 ) so created that the auxiliary recesses ( 3, 31, 32 ) are placed at the bottom of principal recesses ( 1,101 ), are arranged symmetrically with regard to the longitudinal and transversal axis of the principal recesses ( 1,101 ) and are created discontinuously along row of principal recesses ( 1,101 ).

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention deals with packages of the bottle, vessel or container type that are adapted for easy compression for the purpose of volume reduction in a situation when these packages are to be stored as waste. The walls of such containers are treated in such a way that on the surface of the wall recesses are made to reduce stability of the wall to facilitate compression.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

At present many types of modifications of container walls mainly plastic bottles, are known that should facilitate compression of bottles so that they can occupy less space when stored as waste. In most cases, such a wall has a vertically-oriented accordion shape and its cross-section show the shape of a polygon or circle. A disadvantage of this design is usually insufficient rigidity of the whole bottle, which has a negative impact on the resistance of the bottle against bending and may cause prolongation of the bottle due to increased inner overpressure. Such bottles are presented e.g. in the specifications No. GB 2373492, DE 19527947, FR 2527155, WO 88/06014, FR 2798644. Insufficient rigidity is sometimes compensated with longitudinal reinforcement as in the designs that are presented in the specifications No. CZ PVz 24043, CZ PVz 24044, or FR 2750109 while the last type of reinforcement is frequently used to fix bottles that are already compressed and stored as waste and prevent their spontaneous expansion. On the other hand, in the case of relatively shallow recesses or recesses forming a vertical row along a continuous strip of the wall without recesses, the bottle cannot be compressed in the axial direction or just with the use of a high force and with expected buckling unless a longitudinal guide is available during the compression. An example of a bottle with smaller recesses of this last type is the solution presented in the pacification No. CZ PVz 29429, CZ PVz 30468, or also CZ PVz 26722. Information is even available about designs where transversal recesses are complemented with inserted reinforcement as e.g. in the solution presented by EP 0644121. Here, the purpose of the reinforcement is protection against undesirable axial prolongation, but production of such reinforcement makes the production technology rather complicated if there is an effort to blow the shape from a thin-walled semi-finished product to a hollow mould.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The above mentioned disadvantages are substantially solved by a thin-walled compressible package based on this invention, where transversal recesses are made on the package and the principle is that the recesses are arranged at least in four layers where in each layer there are at least two recesses and at the same time the recesses in one layer are always in the position under and/or over the contact places of the recesses created in the neighbouring layers or under and/or over the gap between the recesses created in the neighbouring layers while at the same time the recesses in the neighbouring layers partly overlap each other with their side margins from the axial point of view with regard to the longitudinal axis of the package. It is advantageous if the side margins of the recesses, in the transversal direction to the longitudinal axis of the package, are created as transitions of the recess profile to the part of the package surface without recesses or as transitions of the profile of one recess to the profile of another recess made in the same layer. What can also be advantageous is if the recesses have different profiles and/or depths with regard to each other. Another advantage may consist in the fact if 6 recesses are created in each layer at the most. It is especially beneficial if the recesses created on the package surface cover at least 60% of its length. Another benefit is achieved if the mutual overlapping of side margins of the recesses between neighbouring layers is in the range of 1 to 25% of the transversal perimeter of the package. From the point of view of the profile of recesses it is advantageous if the maximum of the recess profile is at least 5% of the maximum height of the corresponding recesses, when the height is measured along the longitudinal axis of the thin-walled package. What can also be beneficial is if in one layer there are recesses of at least two different profiles where the maximum depth of the deeper profiles is at least 10% of the maximum height of the corresponding recesses and at the same time the maximum depth of the shallower recesses is at least 5% of the maximum height of the corresponding recesses, where in all cases the height is measured along the longitudinal axis of the thin-walled package. To improve definability or predictability of deformation during compression and to further reduce the compression force it is beneficial if auxiliary recesses are created at least in some recesses. These auxiliary recesses may be beneficially created symmetrically with regard to the longitudinal as well as transversal axis of the main recesses described above. As regards the profile of the auxiliary recesses, it is advantageous if the height and/or depth of the auxiliary recesses is 50% of the height and/or depth of the main recesses at the most. As regards creation and distribution of the secondary recesses it may be advantageous if auxiliary recesses are made in all the three main recesses and there are one to three auxiliary recesses in each main recess. The main and auxiliary recesses may even be arranged in such a configuration where there are auxiliary recesses in all the main recesses while they have the form of at least one continuous auxiliary recess stretching along the whole transversal perimeter of the thin-walled package. As regards the thin-walled package as a whole, made in accordance with the previous description, such a thin-walled package may advantageously be designed as a plastic bottle or a thin-walled plastic package of the drink or food can type.

This way a compressible package is created that can be compressed in a predictable way, mainly without the risk of jamming of created folds and/or without the risk of buckling of the axis of the compressed package during its compression. Further, compression of such a package requires a relatively low force, allowing you to compress the packages manually in most cases without the need to use other pedal and/or lever driven devices or devices with a mechanical machine drive. Even in the design when in one layer the recesses touch with their sides or continuously pass one into another, but with a different recess profile substantially improved effects are achieved in the sense that even here the transitional places between the recesses sufficiently improve the tensile and bending strength of the package during compression, which ensures sufficient stability against buckling. We should point out that the main and auxiliary recesses may be created both towards the inside of the package and over the remaining surface of the package without recesses. In the latter case in fact formations with the shape of bulges will be created, but still they fall into the category of recesses and mainly from the functional point of view they represent a technical equivalent of recesses made towards the inside of the package. Naturally, on one package you may combine main as well as auxiliary formations having the form of recesses and bulges.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention is further described and explained in a detailed way with the use of a sample design, where

FIG. 1 shows the side view of the first variant of the package designed as a plastic bottle where in transversal recesses short auxiliary recesses are made.

In FIG. 2 there is the same bottle in a horizontal cross section made on the plane that is marked as A-A in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 presents the side view of the second variant of the package designed as a plastic bottle, where in transversal recesses long auxiliary recesses are made and

FIG. 4 shows the same bottles in a horizontal cross section made on the plane marked as A-A in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 represents the side view of the third variant of the package designed as a plastic bottle, where in transversal recesses triplets of short auxiliary recesses are made while

FIG. 6 presents the same bottle in a horizontal cross section made on the plane marked as A-A in FIG. 5. There is also

FIG. 7, which deals with the same design as FIGS. 5 and 6, showing the package in a perspective view. Further,

FIG. 8 presents the fourth variant of the package in the side view, where one continuous recess is made all along the perimeter of the package while

FIG. 9 presents a horizontal cross section of the package design shown in FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 presents a perspective view of the fifth sample variant of the package, which is made without auxiliary recesses, but with main recesses that touch each other with their ends in one layer or pass one into another in the place where the profile of one recess changes over into the profile of the neighbouring recess.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Example 1

A thin-walled compressible package in accordance with the submitted invention is designed as a plastic bottle with transversal recesses 1 while the recesses 1 are arranged in ten layers and in each layer there are two recesses 1. Along the package, i.e. along the bottle in this case, the axes of the recesses 1 always follow the axis of the gap between the recesses 1 created in the neighbouring layers while at the same time the side margins 11 of the recesses 1 in the neighbouring layers partly overlap each other with regard to the longitudinal axis of the package from the axial point of view. This way an area 2 without recesses is formed on the surface of the bottle that is resistant to tensile forces when the bottle is under pressure. The mutual overlapping of the margins 11 of the recesses 1 in individual layers facilitates deformability of the bottle during its compression, but does not substantially weaken the tensile strength of the bottle. More recesses 1 may be advantageously created in each layer, but more than 6 recesses 1 do not bring any further perceivable benefit. The recesses 1 are made on the surface of the package are created in the range of approx. 80% of its length, which is sufficient to achieve substantial compression after usage of the package. The mutual overlapping of the side margins 11 of the recesses 1 only represents here approx. 3% of the transversal perimeter of the package. The profile depth of each of the recesses 1 varies in different places, but the maximum depth of the profile of the recesses 1 is approx. 50% of the maximum height of the recesses 1, where the height is measured in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the package, i.e. bottle in this case. In this sample, auxiliary recesses 3 are made in all the recesses 1, symmetrically to the longitudinal and transversal axis of the recesses 1. In each recess 1 there is just one auxiliary recess 3. This design is shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2.

The function of the package is as follows. Its compression is achieved in a predictable way mainly without the risk of jamming of created folds and/or without the risk of buckling of the axis of the compressed package during its compression. Also, the entire compression of such a package requires a relatively low force, allowing you to compress the packages manually in most cases without the need to use other pedal and/or lever driven or similar devices or even devices with a mechanical machine drive.

Example 2

This is a similar design as in sample 1 with the difference that in the recess 1 long auxiliary recesses 3 are created that run all along the length of the main recesses 1. This design is shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4.

Example 3

The design is similar to samples 1 and 2 while in each recess 1 there are always three auxiliary recesses 3, where one central recess 31 is in the same position as in sample 1 and is complemented with two short auxiliary recesses 32 at the margins 11 of the main recess 1. This design is shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 and also in FIG. 7 in a perspective view.

Example 4

The design is similar to samples 1 to 3 while in the recess 1 there is always one auxiliary recess 33, which is made as a continuous one, running all along the transversal perimeter of the package, i.e. bottle. It means that this auxiliary recess 33 is common for all the main recesses 1 in one layer. This design is shown in FIG. 8 and FIG. 9.

Example 5

The design is similar to sample 4, but the recesses are designed as recesses 101, 102 that laterally pass into each other. No auxiliary recesses are made here. This design is shown in FIG. 10 in a perspective view.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

The submitted invention can be mainly used for the production of drink bottles and cans, but it can also be applied to similar thin-walled packages, e.g. tins while the general material of the packages may be plastic or metal, both light alloys and conventional tin sheets based on varnished iron or iron with another type of surface treatment. 

1: A thin-walled compressible package where on the compressible package transversal recesses are created so that the recesses are created at least in four layers where in each layer there are at least two recesses and at the same time the recesses in one layer are always in the position under and/or over the contact place of the recesses created in the neighboring layers or under and/or over the gap between the recesses created in the neighboring layers while at the same time the recesses in the neighboring layers partly overlap each other with their side margins with regard to the longitudinal axis from the axial point of view, while at the same time at least two types of recesses, having different profiles and/or depths are created, and where the side margins of at least the principal recesses in the transversal direction to the longitudinal axis of the package consist of the transition of the profile of the recess to the surface of the package or of the transition of the profile of one recess to the profile of another recess created in the same layer, characterized in that at least in some recesses (1, 101), formed as principal recesses, there are auxiliary recesses so created that the auxiliary recesses (3, 21, 32, 33) are placed at the bottom of principal recesses (1, 101), are arranged symmetrically with respect to the longitudinal and transversal axis of the principal recesses (1, 101) and are created discontinuously along row of principal recesses (1, 101). 2-3. (canceled) 4: A thin-walled compressible package according to claim 1, characterized in that in each layer there are six recesses at the most. 5: A thin-walled compressible package according to claim 1, characterized in that the principal recesses are created on the package surface in the range of at least 60% of its length. 6: A thin-walled compressible package according to claim 1, characterized in that the mutual overlapping of the side margins (11) of the recesses between the neighboring layers is in the range of 1 to 25% of the transversal perimeter of the package. 7: A thin-walled compressible package according to claim 1, characterized in that the maximum depth of the recesses represents at least 5% of the height of the corresponding principal recesses, where the height is measured in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the thin-walled package. 8-10. (canceled) 11: A thin-walled compressible package according to claim 1, characterized in that the height and/or depth of the auxiliary recesses (3, 31, 32) is 50% of the height and/or depth of the principal recesses at the most. 12: A thin-walled compressible package according to claim 1, characterized in that the auxiliary recesses (3, 31, 32) are made in all the recesses and in each recess there are one to three auxiliary recesses (3, 31, 32).
 13. (canceled) 14: A thin-walled compressible package according to claim 1, characterized in that the thin-walled package is designed as a plastic bottle or as a thin-walled metal package of the drink or food can type. 